The present invention generally relates to a portable electronic device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for preventing one or more dangerous user behaviors on a mobile communication device using an integrated pedometer.
A modern cellular phone or a similar mobile communication device has evolved into a versatile portable computing device for many consumers. For example, cellular phones, such as “smart phones” or “feature phones,” are capable of browsing the Internet and communicate with other users by text or multimedia messages. Modern cellular phones and other mobile communication devices are also capable of executing mobile application software to provide a variety of versatile mobile computing experiences to consumers. While modern cellular phones still serve their original purpose as voice communication devices, Internet browsing, text messaging, mobile application software usage, and other multimedia functions are increasingly becoming critical and essential aspects of the user experience for mobile communication.
Unfortunately, the increasing popularity of Internet browsing, text messaging, mobile application software usage, and other multimedia functions on a cellular phone or on another mobile communication device has also increased the chances of a user distraction and/or a careless self-endangerment during an attention-requiring user activity, such as walking, jogging, and driving. For example, a person who is text-messaging to a friend while walking across a crosswalk may be susceptible to a serious accident by an oncoming vehicle, because that person is overly distracted by his or her cellular phone while not paying sufficient attention to his or her surroundings. Similarly, another person who is interacting or fumbling with a cellular phone or another mobile communication device while walking, jogging, or driving may be subject to running into an obstacle or an object, thereby endangering his or her personal safety and the public safety in general.
In some situations, parents who are concerned about the physical safety of their children due to the children's distracting level of cellular phone or another mobile communication device usage while walking, jogging, or driving may want to prevent, prohibit, and/or limit the usage of certain device features while their children are engaged in walking, jogging, driving, or another attention-requiring activity. Similarly, an employer wanting to enforce certain cellular phone-related or mobile communication device-related safety and legal compliance guidelines against a highly-mobile employee (e.g. a deliveryman, a bus driver, a truck driver, a salesman, and etc.) may want to prevent, prohibit, and/or limit the usage of certain device features while the employee is on duty.
Therefore, an apparatus and a related method that can prevent, prohibit, and/or limit a dangerous user behavior with a mobile communication device to reduce user distraction may be highly beneficial to device users and/or their supervising entities, such as parents or employers. Furthermore, an apparatus and a related method that can calibrate, define, and/or determine a particular user behavior as potentially dangerous may be highly beneficial to device users and/or their supervising entities. In addition, an apparatus and a related method that can authenticate and authorize a supervising entity to enable or disable certain device features while a mobile communication device user is walking, jogging, driving, or performing another attention-requiring activity may also be highly beneficial.